OHL Playoff Preview: Western Conference matchups

The 2023 Ontario Hockey League post-season begins in five cities on March 30.

The Ottawa 67’s are the Hamilton Spectator Trophy winners as regular season champions after posting a record of 51-12-3-2.

The Windsor Spitfires wound up in top spot in the Western Conference. Windsor went 44-18-4-2.

If you combine Ottawa and Windsor when they have the lead at the end of the second period they are 78-0-0-1.

They enter as two of the teams to beat.

The Saginaw Spirit have already won big for 2024. Saginaw, Mich., was named the host city for the 2024 Memorial Cup tournament. This year’s tournament is taking place in Kamloops, B.C., from May 26 to June 4.

One OHL team will be there.

Here is a look at every Western Conference team that is hoping to fill that spot:

Series A – (1) Windsor vs (8) Kitchener

Windsor swept the season series 4-0.

Windsor Spitfires

When you can put the OHL’s leading scorer, a former first overall pick who was granted exceptional status to a lethal sniper and playmaker on the same line… you are off to a good start. Welcome to life trying to defend Matt Maggio, Shane Wright and Brett Harrison. Make life tough for them and Alex Christopoulos hurts you. Or rookie Liam Greentree. Windsor needs the tiniest of chances to put the puck in the net. They have lots of finals experience and two good goalies in Joey Costanzo and Matt Onuska.

Kitchener Rangers

On paper they might be the best eighth place team in OHL history. The Rangers have one of the most talented rosters in the league led by L.A. Kings pick Francesco Pinelli and Montreal Canadiens prospect Filip Mesar but on the ice inconsistency dogged Kitchener all season. Their goalie Marco Costantini backstopped the Hamilton Bulldogs to an OHL Championship last year so if they get hot – look out.

Series B – (2) London vs (7) Owen Sound

The teams split the regular season series 3-3.

London Knights

Their success comes from the collective. London is the first division winner since 2005-06 that does not have a 30-goal scorer. The Knights have put together their 15th season with 40 wins or more in the past 20 years. London gets their scoring from all over their roster and combines that with a deep defence and good goaltending to make them a tough team to face.

Owen Sound Attack

The Attack have one eye on this year and one on next year. Colby Barlow is one of the most dangerous scorers in the OHL in just his second season in the league but he did not play from March 15 to the end of the year. Barlow will be joined by as many as 17 other returnees in 2023-24 along with 2006-born Carter George who went 7-3 in ten starts in goal. Any kind of playoff success this year will only add to their resume. They play tough and will not be an easy out.

Series C – (3) Sarnia vs (6) Guelph

The teams split the season series 2-2. Three of those games went to a shootout and the Sting won the other one by a score of 9-1.

Sarnia Sing

How many ways can you say dangerous? Don’t give up anything in the slot. Don’t take penalties and definitely don’t take your eyes off the guys on the blue line. They can score too. At the other end of the ice is San Jose Sharks prospect Ben Gaudreau in goal. There is a reason Sarnia has been the OHL’s best team since the trade deadline. They are scary.

Guelph Storm

The Storm had a tough start to the year going 4-12-2-1. Adding depth on defence and bringing in Patrick Leaver and Brayden Gillespie in goal has made them a different team. Guelph doesn’t get talked about as a club that can win in the post-season and they will use that as motivation.

Series D – (4) Saginaw vs (5) Flint

The Spirit won the season series (and the I-75 Divide Cup) five games to three.

Saginaw Spirit

The Spirit are supposed to be building for next year. The plan went into place about the time they submitted their bid to host the 2024 Memorial Cup. Only they hung in there. Even without Josh Bloom and Pavel Mintyukov and even with an injury to 15-year old phenom Michael Misa for 16 games Saginaw is won games. They are well coached and no one expects them to win. Teams like that tend to be tough outs. As hosts of the 2024 Memorial Cup they will want to get some experience for their youngsters.

Flint Firebirds

Firewagon hockey was first talked about in the 1950s and then boomed in the 1980s. It was a time when teams that could outscore their opponents won a lot. That is Flint in 2022-23. They can score and they can allow goals as well. How that fits into playoff hockey will determine how fire the fire in the Firebirds is able to go. Keep your eye on Amadeus Lombardi. He is a Detroit Red Wings prospect and despite the great name he is a player who doesn’t get talked about enough.